Phytochemical Characterization and Biological Activities of Essential Oil from Satureja montana L., a Medicinal Plant Grown under the Influence of Fertilization and Planting Dates.

The rising demand for safe plant compounds and herbal products that contribute positively to human health is in line with current market trends. Plants belonging to the Satureja genus, particularly the aromatic medicinal S. montana L. from the Lamiaceae family, are well suited to these trends as they serve as pharmaceutical raw materials. This research aimed to assess the influence of sowing date and fertilization doses, as well as their interaction, on the fresh weight, essential oil content, and composition of S. montana. Experimental cultivation involved varying nitrogen and phosphorus levels. The second cut had the highest fresh weight and oil production compared to the first cut. The highest total plant biomass was achieved with autumn sowing and fertilization at 55 kg N/ha and 37 kg P/ha, whereas Spring sowing exhibited higher essential oil production, with the maximum oil % with 74 kg P/ha and oil yield after applying 55 kg N/ha and 74 kg P/ha. The GC-MS analysis revealed that carvacrol was the predominant compound, with it being recommended to grow S. montana in Spring at doses of 55 kg N/ha and 74 kg P/ha for the superior oil yield. Additionally, S. montana essential oil demonstrated notable biological and antimicrobial activity, positioning it as a potential alternative to chemical food preservatives.

Biological Activity and Phytochemical Characteristics of Star Anise (Illicium verum) Essential Oil and Its Anti-Salmonella Activity on Sous Vide Pumpkin Model.

Illicium verum, commonly known as star anise, represents one of the notable botanical species and is recognized for its rich reservoir of diverse bioactive compounds. Beyond its culinary application as a spice, this plant has been extensively utilized in traditional medicine. Given the contemporary emphasis on incorporating natural resources into food production, particularly essential oils, to enhance sensory attributes and extend shelf life, our study seeks to elucidate the chemical composition and evaluate the antibacterial (in vitro, in situ) and insecticidal properties of Illicium verum essential oil (IVEO). Also, microbiological analyses of pumpkin sous vide treated with IVEO after inoculation of Salmonella enterica were evaluated after 1 and 7 days of study. GC/MS analysis revealed a significantly high amount of (E)-anethole (88.4%) in the investigated EO. The disc diffusion method shows that the antibacterial activity of the IVEO ranged from 5.33 (Streptococcus constellatus) to 10.33 mm (Citrobacter freundii). The lowest minimal inhibition concentration was found against E. coli and the minimum biofilm inhibition concertation was found against S. enterica. In the vapor phase, the best antimicrobial activity was found against E. coli in the pears model and against S. sonei in the beetroot model. The application of the sous vide method in combination with IVEO application decreased the number of microbial counts and eliminated the growth of S. enterica. The most isolated microbiota identified from the sous vide pumpkin were Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, B. cereus, B. licheniformis, and Ralstonia picketii. Modifications to the protein composition of biofilm-forming bacteria S. enterica were suggested by the MALDI TOF MS instigations. The IVEO showed insecticidal potential against Harmonia axyridis. Thanks to the properties of IVEO, our results suggest it can be used in the food industry as a natural supplement to extend the shelf life of foods and as a natural insecticide.

Banana Peels: A Waste Treasure for Human Being.

In recent years, scientists' interest in agricultural waste has increased, and the waste has become attractive to explore and benefit from, rather than being neglected waste. Banana peels have attracted the attention of researchers due to their bioactive chemical components, so we focused on this review article on the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of banana peels that can be used as good sources of natural antioxidants and for pharmaceutical purposes in treating various diseases. Banana is an edible fruit belonging to the genus Musa (Musaceae), cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions. Banana peels are used as supplementary feed for livestock in their cultivation areas. Its massive by-products are an excellent source of high-value raw materials for other industries by recycling agricultural waste. Hence, the goal is to use banana by-products in various food and nonfood applications and sources of natural bioactive compounds. It can be concluded that banana peel can be successfully used in food, pharmaceutical, and other industries. Therefore, banana residues may provide new avenues and research areas for the future.

Chemical Composition, In Vitro and In Situ Antimicrobial and Antibiofilm Activities of Syzygium aromaticum (Clove) Essential Oil.

The essential oil of Syzygium (S.) aromaticum (CEO) is known for its good biological activity. The aim of the research was to evaluate in vitro and in situ antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity of the essential oil produced in Slovakia. The main components of CEO were eugenol 82.4% and (E)-caryophyllene 14.0%. The antimicrobial activity was either weak or very strong with inhibition zones ranging from 4.67 to 15.78 mm in gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria and from 8.22 to 18.56 mm in yeasts and fungi. Among the tested bacteria and fungi, the lowest values of MIC were determined for Staphylococcus (S.) aureus and Penicillium (P.) expansum, respectively. The vapor phase of CEO inhibited the growth of the microscopic filamentous fungi of the genus Penicillium when tested in situ on bread. The strongest effect of mycelia inhibition in a bread model was observed against P. expansum at concentrations of 250 and 500 µL/mL. The best antimicrobial activity of CEO in the carrot model was found against P. chrysosenum. Differences between the mass spectra of Bacillus (B.) subtilis biofilms on the tested surfaces (wood, glass) and the control sample were noted from the seventh day of culture. There were some changes in mass spectra of Stenotrophomonas (S.) maltophilia, which were observed in both experimental groups from the fifth day of culture. These findings confirmed the impact of CEO on the protein structure of older biofilms. The findings indicate that, besides being safe and sensorially attractive, S. aromaticum has antimicrobial activity, which makes it a potential substitute for chemical food preservatives.

Hyssopus officinalis exerts hypoglycemic effects on streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats via modulating GSK-3ß, C-fos, NF-κB, ABCA1 and ABGA1 gene expression.

OBJECTIVES: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DMT2) is contributed to dual interactions between environmental factors and certain genetic factors. This impressed a great need for novel treatment strategy. Nevertheless, Hyssopus officinalis (H. officinalis) as a terrestrial herb is considered to be an important source of natural antioxidants, it could be assessed as an anti-hyperglycemic agent. METHODS: In the current study, HPLC identified the active constitutes of H. officinalis, including total polyphenols, and flavonoids. Type 2 diabetes mellitus was induced in male Wistar albino rats via a single ip dose of streptozotocin (STZ) (35 mg/kg BW). One week post diabetes induction, rats were administrated H. officinalis (500 mg/ kg BW) orally for one month. Molecular analysis was assessed to investigate the efficiency of H. officinalis on modulating ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) and G1 (ABCG1) genes, in addition to apoptotic biomarkers, glycogen synthase kinase-3ß (GSK-3ß) and cellular oncogene-fos (C-fos) genes. Furthermore, inflammatory biomarkers, nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) gene expression were also assessed. RESULTS: H. officinalis alcoholic extract declared the presence of polyphenols as gallic acid and flavonoids as quercetin in addition to many active constituents. Apigenin-7-glucoside and Chlorgenic acid were the most common constituents in the extract. RT-PCR results declared a significant up-regulation in mRNA gene expression of ABCA1 and ABCG1 upon H. officinalis treatment. Meanwhile, C-fos gene expression recorded a slight down-regulation. Gene expression of apoptotic biomarker GSK-3ß demonstrated a significant down regulation as well as inflammatory biomarkers NF-κB and TNF-α. CONCLUSION: From the data recorded, it could be concluded that H. officinalis exerts a great hypoglycemic potential via modulating C-fos, GSK-3ß, NF-κB, TNF-α, ABCA1 and ABCG1 gene expression and signaling pathways and could be considered as an effective candidate for DMT2 treatment.

Response of Biomass Development, Essential Oil, and Composition of Plectranthus amboinicus (Lour.) Spreng. to Irrigation Frequency and Harvest Time.

A greenhouse experiment was conducted to study the effects of four irrigation intervals (4, 8, 12, and 16 days) and six harvests (2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 months after transplanting) on biomass, essential oil content, and composition of Plectranthus amboinicus (Lour.) Spreng. Fresh weight and essential oil yield decreased with increasing irrigation interval; whereas, essential oil content was stimulated by water stress and increased as the irrigation interval increased. Fresh weight of Plectranthus amboinicus irrigated every 4 days peaked when harvested at 6 months, but essential oil content peaked when irrigated every 16 days and harvested at 2 months after transplantation. On the other hand, essential oil yield peaked when irrigated every 8 days and harvested at 6 months. Thymol, p-cymene, γ-terpinene, and ß-caryophyllene were the major compounds, and they peaked at different irrigation intervals and harvest times. This study showed biomass, essential oil content, and yield as well as the major and minor constituents of Plectranthus amboinicus are influenced by irrigation interval and the timing of harvest.